#GreenChemistry

In a scientific breakthrough decades in the making, researchers have finally confirmed a “crazy” theory dating back to 1958 involving vitamin B1, or thiamine. By successfully stabilizing an extremely reactive molecule known as a carbene in water—something scientists long believed to be impossible—this team has not only resolved a long-standing biochemical debate but also unlocked new possibilities for sustainable chemical manufacturing around the world, including Thailand. Their results, published in Science Advances on April 11, 2025, have sparked fresh excitement in both academic and industrial laboratories worldwide (SciTechDaily).

In a historic breakthrough, scientists have finally confirmed a 67-year-old hypothesis about vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, radically advancing our understanding of how this crucial vitamin works in the human body. This finding not only settles a decades-old scientific debate but also unlocks new possibilities for eco-friendly chemical production, with potential impact reaching far beyond the laboratory.

The story of this discovery begins in 1958, when a chemist from Columbia University theorized that vitamin B1 might perform its vital metabolic functions through the formation of an elusive molecular structure called a carbene. Carbenes are notoriously unstable and tend to decompose instantly in aqueous (water-based) environments like the human body, making the hypothesis seem improbable for more than half a century. For years, the idea was dismissed as “crazy,” as quoted by Vincent Lavallo, a chemist at the University of California, Riverside, who led the recent research that validated this bold proposal.